Half to eetjben b



(No Model.)

Y J. G. LEPFINGWELL.

` BOXVFASTBNBR. 1\Io. 290.992.v Patented 1360.25, 1883.

N. PETERS. Photo-UIMM. Washmglmx 0.6.

UNITED STATES PATENT @Erica AJOHN G. LEEEINGWELL, OE NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, AssiGnoE 0E ONE- HALF TO REUBEN B. EDWARDS, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 290,992, dated December 25, 1883, Application filed october 1, 1852.

To all wit-0m it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. LEFEINGWELL, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Box-Catches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of catches for what are ordinarily known as cigar-boxes, or such boxes as have a simple hat board cover hinged upon the body of the box, which are composed of two plates struck from sheet metal in some ornament-al form, and adapted to be nailed on the outside of the box, respectively on the body andlid thereof, the plate upon the lid engaging with the plate upon the body.

Among other forms of cigar-box catches of this class that have been in use heretofore, one species has been formed of a perforated hasp, nailed to the flat cover and bent down over the edge thereof` to engage with a plate having a lip struck out from the upper edge of the plate at right angles to the face thereof," which lip engaged with the perforation in the hasp above mentioned. This device was defective vin so much as that from its peculiar construction it was necessary to cut a recess in the edge of the box-body to provide a proper connecand arranged upon a cigar-box, such as illus-` trated and described, as will be hereinafter set forth and embodied in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts in each of the several figures, Figure lillustrates a box with my device attached. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, and Figs.

`3, '4, 5, 6, and f7,are detail views. In carrying out the invention, I secure to the fiat front of the box A a flat keeper-plate, B, having a perforation, C, therein. Above said perforation is formed ya catch, D, projecting from the sur- (No model.)

face of the plate, the under edge of said projecting catch being even or iiush with the upper edge of the perforation C. An incline, forming a part of the catch D, and adapted to throw the hasp forward, is formed to project from the surface of the keeper-plate, which, commencing at the point of greatest proj ection, lying flush with the upper edge of the perforation, sinks into said keeper-plate a short distance above said perforation. The saidincline is adapted to throw a corresponding catch, F, on thehasp forward, and the under edge of the said projecting catch D, co-operating with the edge of the perforation C, provides a more secure abutment or keep than the above-mentioned projection formed by bending a lip of the keeper-plate at right angles thereto, the improved catch not being liable to be bent upward when upward force is brought to bear.

The hasp H, secured to the cover of the'box, is constructed to extend downward over the plate B. Said hasp is struck from sheet metal in a piece independent of the cover; is bent at an angle to enable it to be rmly secured to both the top and edge of the lid-board; is'also provided with a projecting catch, F, adapted to engage with the catch D. Said catch projects on an incline upwardly and inwardly from the inner surface of said hasp, so that the extremity thereof abuts against the under edge of the catch and upper edge ofthe perforation when the cover of the box is forced so as to tend to lift the same, said abutting extremity having a tendency from its construction and the construction of the surfaces on the keeperplate to pass into more perfect contact with thev catch D, instead of slipping off, as in the catches heretofore in use. Above the upwardly and inwardly inclined catch is formed a recess adapted to receive the catch D when the latter is in engagement with the catch F. Both plates are thus provided with recesses and corresponding'proj ections, the former to receive the latter. The said plates are thereby allowed to come into intimate contact with one another, whereby the security of the catch is increased. The catch thus constructed is adapted to be arranged upon the ordinary box without any special preparation being made for it, and is effective, without cutting the box and thus defacing it. The arrangement of the inclined projections is suoli as to give greater strength to the catch Wit-hout increasing the thickness of the metal plate or diminishing the effectiveness of the catch.

Having thns described my invention, what I claim, and wish to secu re by Letters Patent, is-

As an improved article of manufacture, a cigar-box catch combining therein a fiat plate, B, adapted to be secured tot-11e front board of a box. said plate having a perforation, C, therein, above which is struck up aprojecting catch, D, in elined downwardly and outwardly, the under edge of which lies flush with the upper side 

